Bull Run Lake, lake in United States of America
Bull Run Lake is a reservoir in the Cascade Range with clear water surrounded by dense forests and mountains at an elevation over 3,000 feet. The roughly 1.5-mile-long body of water feeds a dam system that has supplied drinking water to Portland for more than a century.
The lake was protected in 1892 by President Benjamin Harrison to keep the water source safe from development and grazing, marking one of the earliest efforts to shield a drinking water supply. By 1895, water began flowing through pipes to Portland, giving the city a reliable water system.
Bull Run Lake's water has long been seen as vital to Portland's identity and continues to shape how the city relates to the surrounding wilderness. The protected forest landscape shows how urban life and wild ecosystems remain connected in ways visitors can directly experience.
The area is accessible by hiking trails, though direct access to the lake itself is limited to protect water quality. Visitors should be prepared for changing weather since the region receives substantial rainfall and conditions can shift rapidly.
The water here ranks among the purest in the United States and is classified as oligotrophic, meaning it naturally contains extremely low levels of pollution. This purity is why the region remains so strictly protected and visitor access is carefully limited.
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